Leonardo Leo

Leonardo Leo was one of the leading Neapolitan composers of his day, particularly in the genres of theatre and church music.

He studied with Fago at the Conservatorio S Maria della Pietà del Turchini and his first known major performance was of a sacred drama S Chiara or L’infedeltà abbattuta in 1712 at the conservatory. This work must have found favour with the rulers of Naples for shortly after this he was appointed assistant organist at the vice-regal chapel.

Leo’s 1st opera in 1714 Il Pisistrato was received with acclaim as was his 1718 2nd opera Sfonisba and from 1720 until his death he received a continuous stream of commissions for operas in Naples, Rome, Venice, Bolgna, Turin and Milan

A notable contribution to the genre was the 1723 commedia musicale La’mpeca scoperta. This was to prove a genre in which Leo could flourish in Naples, his serious Neapolitan operas being overshadowed by his rivals Vinci and Hasse despite successes in other Italian cities.

Leo was also a prominent teacher and held positions at the Conservatorio S Maria della Pietà del Turchini (vicemaestro), the Conservatorio S Onofrio (where he succeeded Feo as primo maestro) and finally succeeding his old teacher Nicola Fago at the Conservatorio S Maria della Pietà del Turchini. One of his greatest contributions to musical development at this time was an attempt to reform religious music in Naples – his 8 part Miserere is an excellent example of this as are the oratorios S Elena al Calvario and La morte di Abele to texts by Metastasio. In fact there was a great deal of rivalry between Leo and the other great Neapolitan composer of church music at the time Francesco Durante, the city dividing into Leisti and Durantisti.

He became principal organist of the vice-regal chapel on Alessandro Scarlatti’s death in 1725 and succeeded Vinci at the royal chapel in 1730, becoming vice-maestro there in 1737 and maestro di cappella shortly before his death.

Leo's setting of this popular text. Whilst Clori sleeps her lover guards her rest and surrounds her with flowers (whilst binding himself in the pleasant chains of love). ARA format with two sensuous arias.

Not knowing Love, not knowing of his sighs, how can Irene recognise his ardor? The lovers complaints (and his happiness) of and in love. ARA format with a larghetto, e cantabile and an aria non presto. The recitative is typically intricate and the harmonic world is complex.

From a copy in the Royal Music Collection thought to be the only one (Pastore), this is a wonderful piece with a flaw. It is missing the first two lines of text for the second recitative - odd! It works, however and the poetry balances without it. Something strange here so we have decided to make it available.

In 2 recit and aria form (arias con spirito e vivace and tempo giusto the second recit accompagnato) it describes the plight of Andromeda, her plaint to the Gods, the arrival of her erstwhile rescuer Perseus and his call to the Gods to have mercy. It is full of 'pre-classical' markers such as strong dominant pedals, greater chordal movement in accompanying parts, the use of chromatic melody, many dynamic markings and rapid changes from passages in tonic major and tonic minor.

A delightful RARA format cantata for alto and continuo in which our erstwhile lover tries to convince Nice that love is just a game and forgiving his infidelity is her only course of action. Hmmm...interesting theory...

The never-ending search for Nice fills this virtuosic cantata. Lovely imagery including lions, tigers, waves and ships in RARA format. The first aria is full of pathos, calling for the nightingale, the second, following a recitativo accompagnato is fast and furious, a 'navigante' aria. with a range extending to high B flat, this is quite a piece of work!

A stunning example of the genre showing Leo at the height of his powers in this field. RARA format with two complex and beautiful arias and the expected involved recitatives. The straying shepherd returns to the banks of the River Arno to find both love and infedelity in his beloved Amarillis.

The second of six 'Cantate Spirituale' in a British Library manuscript containing works exclusively by Leo.

Starting with a great recit with the bass line flying around the vocal part, the works consists of three recit and aria pairs. The second aria (MIDI preview) being wonderfully chromatic. The subject matter concerns the sinner's unwillingness to return to Godliness.

A lovely work with some terrific chromatic melodic and bass lines mimicking the sighs of the disappointed lover - very experimental? This lover is totally confused and is suffering greatly from the vicissitudes of Amor.

Once more, the lover is tired of being struck by Cupid's darts and begs him to break them - he hasn't the strength to resist any more! Cupid however has other plans and torments the lover further. 2 recits with andante and affettuoso arias.

With a text written in the first person from the point of view of the Prodigal Son, this is a splendid example of both piety and inventiveness. Using all the chromatic skill typical of the so called 'Neapolitan School' Leo weaves an emotional musical story around the text. The form is (instrumental) introduction, recit, aria, recit, aria with a great deal of variation.

The follower of the God of Love is regretting his decision and exhorts us to choose freedom over the chains of love! 2 recit and aria format with excellent contrast between the arias and interesting and involved recits.

The Lessons for the Thursday of Holy Week from the IX Lezione per la Settimana Santa ... per la Real Capella di Napoli. Divided primarily into the three sections, 'De lamentatione Jeremiæ prophetæ. Heth. Cogitavit Dominus disspare', 'Lamed. Matribus suis dixerunt', and 'Aleph. Ego vir videns paupertatem', the first and last for soprano, the central section for alto, each section is then subdivided into many smaller quasi-aria, arioso, and recitative sections which make up the whole, each ending with the imploring Jerusalem convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum - Jerusalem, return to your God. They are extraordinary works with great variation and some truly extraordinary invention both in terms of melody and harmony. The range, both dramatic and vocal is extraordinary.

The Lessons for the Wednesday of Holy Week from the IX Lezione per la Settimana Santa ... per la Real Capella di Napoli. Divided primarily into the three sections, 'Incipit lamentatio Jeremiæ Prophetæ. Aleph. Quomodo sedet sola civitas', 'Vau. Et egressus est a Filia Sion', and 'Manum suam misit hostis (missing the Ioth. at the start of the verse)', the first and last for soprano, the central section for alto, each section is then subdivided into many smaller quasi-aria, arioso, and recitative sections which make up the whole, each ending with the imploring Jerusalem convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum - Jerusalem, return to your God. They are extraordinary works with great variation and some truly plangent harmonies. This first of the three Lezione uses much variation between violoncelli and bassi.

The Lessons for Good Friday from the IX Lezione per la Settimana Santa ... per la Real Capella di Napoli. Divided primarily into the three sections, 'De lamentatione Jeremiæ Prophetæ. Heth. Misericordiæ Domini', 'Aleph, quomodo obscuratum', and 'Incipit oratio Jeremiæ Prophetæ. Recordare Domine', the first and last for soprano, the central piece for alto, each section is then subdivided into many smaller quasi-aria, arioso, and recitative sections which make up the whole, each ending with the imploring Jerusalem convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum - Jerusalem, return to your God. They are extraordinary works with great variation and some truly plangent harmonies.

The title page describes this work as being written for the Capella Reale di Napoli in 1744 (the year of Leo's death). It is not the Psalm 50 but the gradual and tract versicle for Ash Wednesday (in 1744). Divided into three sections: Miserere mei Deus, Misit de cælo (the gradual for Ash Wednesday in 1744) and Adjuva nos, Deus salutaris noster (the tract versicle for Ash Wednesday in 1744) there is real beauty in its simplicity. See also the Misereris omnium, Domine which is the 1744 introit for Ash Wednesday.

This is the first piece in a collection of music for Ash Wednesday and Holy Week, written for the Royal Chapel, Naples in 1744 (the year of Leo's death). In four sections, the work provides the introit, gradual and tract for Ash Wednesday in a sublime polyphonic setting - much beautiful harmonic movement. A stunning work.

As the stream to the sea, so am I drawn to you. Thus runs the final aria and summarises this charming cantata (despite Clori's continued infedelity). Aria (Affettuoso) - recit - aria (Non presto) format.

"What sadness to be parted from the beloved" It is a beautiful example of a lontananza cantata with stunningly sinuous writing within the ARA format. The first aria has a 3-8 B section, the recit is involved and expressive and the final aria is a wealth of beautiful music.

The pain of betrayal and the anguish it causes is the theme of the first part of this delightful cantata. The sobbing of the affettuoso aria is beautiful. The second half of the cantata, however, sees our young man in a fury! His long recit and final 'rage' aria (with its contrasting 3/2 middle section) are a piece of virtuosic writing of the first order.

In this delightful pastoral cantata, Angelica dallies in the fields and love is compared to all the flowers, but don't forget the thorns which also come with the most beautiful roses! The trials and tribulations of love in aria - recit - aria format.

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